[vsnet-const 31] V449 Sco details in AN 264, 311

[no name <crawl@zoom.co.uk>]

I have obtained details of the original account for the object that
became V449 Sco... ...and I cannot understand why it is in the GCVS and
not in a suspect variable catalogue!

First of all, the full ref is Astronomische Nachrichten volume 264
_column_ 311, and not page 311 [there appear to be two columns to a
page], 1937.

The original is in German, which I haven't touched since school, but it
is a very short note and mostly written in "astronomic", so with the aid
of an online dictionary, here goes a _transliteration_:-

The note is entitled "Two new variables": it is _authored_ by J
Vo{u^}te.

The first is HD 159595 [now also known as V449 Sco]: CDP and CoD
designations are given, along with spectral type of A0, 1900.0 and
1875.0 epoch&equinox positions are given.

It is described as an Algol star with period of 38.8 days, and a broad
minimum of about two days, with amplitude 0.6 magnitudes [no doubt where
the GCVS range of 7.0 - 7.6 comes from].

And that is all it says.

A short sentence to close states that the variability of the two
variables has been confirmed by S J O'Connell of Riverview College
Observatory, Sydney.  It could be taken as saying _affirmed_ instead of
_confirmed_ [ist... ...best{a-umlaut}tigt worden].

The article is then signed by Voe at Nov 1937 from Bosscha
Observatory, Lembang...

And that is it!

Three IMPORTANT points follow based on this:-

i) in an earlier post I assumed Riverside Coll. Obs. was in South
Africa... ...it appears it is in fact in Australia.  Also, I noted that
Vo{u^}te and O'Connell had done several joint papers on photographic
photometry of southern variables.  So they knew each other.

ii) the PASP 65, 88 (1953) paper which led me to the above reference
gives more information than the AN 264, 311 paper actually carries!  The
1953 paper suggested that a photographic discovery of Vo{u^}te had been
confirmed in the visual by O'Connell... ...all the AN article actually
says is O'Connell either confirmed or _affirmed_ these stars
variabililty, there is no mention of how, whilst Vo{u^}te is the author,
but not specifically mentioned as observer.

Why this star is in the GCVS I don't know.  The entry for it in GuL 2,4
(1957) only repeats the AN [GuL info kindly provided by Michael Dahm]
information, and no one else seems to have further identified any
variability... ...some have even used it as a constant comparison star!

iii) A _strong_ contextual indicator here is the _second_ variable star
mentioned in this note!  It is identified as HD 160589, which is
nowadays also known as V703 Sco.  Durchmusterung IDs and positions are
given, plus a spectrum of F0.

The AN 264, 311 details go on to say that the amplitude is small,
sometimes soon brighter, sometimes soon weaker than CPD -32 4735, and a
period of "+/- 16d?" is quoted.

This is in fact a 0.5 V amplitude deltaScutid variable of 0.115 days
period!

This puts the situation of V449 Sco's description into context.

[NOTE all these objects lie within the field of Messier 6].


I reckon V449 Sco is constant.


I acknowledge the assistance of P G Hingley, RAS librarian, in acquiring
the information from AN 264, 311.


Cheers

John

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